53 Romeo and Juliet

The History of Literature

Jacke Wilson

History, Arts, Books

4.6 • 1.3K Ratings

🗓️ 5 August 2016

⏱️ 45 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In 1964, the Oxford professor John Barrington Wain wrote: “…Romeo and Juliet is as perfectly achieved as anything in Shakespeare’s work. It is a flawless little jewel of a play. It has the clear, bright colours, the blend of freshness and formality, of an illuminated manuscript.” First produced in 1594, The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet became an immediate sensation, and the story of the star-crossed lovers has been a core part of Western civilization ever since. Why is the play so popular? What does it tell us about falling in love – and how does that differ from being in love? And what does any of this have to do with George Carlin? Show Notes: Brand new! Check out our Facebook page at facebook.com/historyofliterature. You can find more literary discussion at jackewilson.com and more episodes of the series at historyofliterature.com. Contact the host at jackewilsonauthor@gmail.com or by leaving a voicemail at 1-361-4WILSON (1-361-494-5766). Music Credits: “Handel – Entrance to the Queen of Sheba” by Advent Chamber Orchestra (From the Free Music Archive / CC by SA). *** This show is a part of the Podglomerate network, a company that produces, distributes, and monetizes podcasts. We encourage you to visit the website and sign up for our newsletter for more information about our shows, launches, and events. For more information on how The Podglomerate treats data, please see our Privacy Policy. Since you're listening to The History of Literature, we'd like to suggest you also try other Podglomerate shows surrounding literature, history, and storytelling like Storybound, Micheaux Mission, and The History of Standup. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	The History of Literature Podcast is a member of the Podglamorate Network and LIT Hub Radio.
0:07.0	Hello everyone, this is Jack Wilson, the host of the History of Literature Podcast.
0:14.0	I'm so glad you're here and welcome to the show.
0:17.0	One quick note before we begin, you have found one of the oldest episodes in our archive.
0:23.0	The show doesn't discuss literature in chronological order,
0:26.2	so you won't be missing anything if you start with the more recent episodes
0:29.6	instead of the earliest ones.
0:31.4	And, let's be honest honest the show's quality has improved
0:34.4	quite a bit since these early days. But of course where you begin is up to you and
0:39.4	if you'd like to give this one a try please be my guest. All of the episodes in the archive are yours to enjoy for free.
0:47.0	Hello. In 1964, the Oxford Professor John Barrington Wayne wrote,
0:53.0	quote,
0:54.0	Romeo and Juliet is as perfectly achieved as anything in Shakespeare's work.
0:58.0	It is a flawless little jewel of a play.
1:01.0	It has the clear, bright colors, the blend of freshness and formality of an illuminated
1:06.7	manuscript."
1:08.7	Like many of Shakespeare's best works, the story of these star-crossed lovers, their love forbidden by
1:14.8	their feuding families, is so entrenched in our culture that it's difficult for us to
1:19.0	see it with fresh eyes. Its ubiquity and its many imitators have turned it into something like a
1:24.9	cliche. But it would be a shame to treat it as one because as usual
1:29.5	Shakespeare has given us a play with keen insight into the human condition and one that runs deeper I would argue
1:35.6	than the play is often given credit for. We'll take a look at how the plot drives the characters
	...

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